While frigid winter weather isn’t typical for the Monterey or Central California regions, the temperatures can get below freezing occasionally. This sudden temperature drop causes your plumbing to freeze. You can be taken entirely off guard as a homeowner when a burst creates damage. This issue may lead to flooding, and you’ll need water removal and cleanup services. There are several ways to prevent plumbing from freezing this winter.
- Keep The Thermostat Above 55 Degrees
- Insulate Your Plumbing
- Allow Furthest Faucet to Drip
- Turn Off & Drain Water for Outdoor Spigots
- Open Cabinet Doors To Warm Plumbing
- Drain Outdoor Lines
- Close Indoor Valves
Keep The Thermostat Above 55 Degrees
Turn up the thermostat in your home to 55 degrees. Keeping the temperature at this level will prevent liquid freezing inside the plumbing. The moisture can continue to move freely through your faucets and fixtures.
Insulate Your Pipework
While heat can keep faucets from freezing, a non-heat method insulates your pipes. Insulation sleeves fit around the lines like a blanket to ward off the cold air around them.
Allow Furthest Faucet To Drip
Turn on the farthest water line from your main water line in the home. Running the faucet at a drip keeps the water moving through the rest of your pipes. Moving water is harder to freeze.
Turn Off & Drain Liquid For Outdoor Spigots
You are turning off the water before the winter temperatures strike prevents the water from freezing. Next, you want to drain the water from the pipe. With the line empty, it cannot freeze. Once spring arrives, you can turn on the water again.
Open Cabinet Doors To Warm Plumbing
Pipes inside cabinets and vanities can still freeze even with the thermostat turned up. This problem is due to the closed doors preventing the heat from entering. Open the cabinet doors so that interior pipes can become warmed up.
Close The Indoor Valves
If any indoor faucets are not in use in the home, such as in a detached garage or spare bathroom that nobody uses, consider closing the water valves and draining the lines. The shutoff valve should be close to the fixture, such as inside a cabinet or through an access panel in the wall.
What If The Pipes Are Already Frozen?
Do not bang on the pipes with tools, such as a hammer or wrench. You could cause the line to crack further or become damaged. Instead, you want to turn off the water at the main shutoff valve and turn on the spigot. Then you can heat the pipe using tools such as a hairdryer that will not cause the water in the line to boil. Never apply an open flame or combustible fuel to the plumbing.
Once the frozen liquid runs out, you can turn back on the main line and check the pipe for leaks. If you experience leaks, turn off the main again and hire a plumber to fix the pipe.
Disaster Kleenup Specialists for Flood Cleanup and Repairs
If you need flood repair and water damage restoration services, contact the professionals at Disaster Kleenup Specialists. We offer a range of services to residents in the Monterey and Central CA regions. With 40 years of experience in flood cleanup, we can get your water pipes working again.